Part 64: Okabe Rintarou investigates a grave problem

"The disappearance of the IBN 5100 might be an effect of someone who's changed the past before now, right?"

"Ohh! So you believe my story, then!"

"But from my subjectivity, all of the D-mails sent so far have had trivial content."







"It said 'Okarin is a pervert', right?"

"Then during the D-mail experiments, I sent dozens to Okabe's phone. But they were all insubstantial, so I don't think they could've changed the past."

"I sent two of them. I wrote secret measures to win the match against Faris."

"Then there's one more. The first mail Okabe sent by change, saying I was dead."

"But from my subjectivity, we sent several more."

"You mean how you sent the winning LOTO SIX numbers? And now Ruka bought a ticket with those numbers, but didn't win."



"But I swear I showed you guys afterwards. It was still in my phone's arrival history."

"We were so close."

"Is that all?"

"No. There's still some more. Moeka and Rukako each sent a D-mail."

"Oh yeah. But Okabe's the only one to claim that. Hashida, Mayuri and I don't know about those."

"Well, Mayushii's head is getting all tangled up..."

"I already told you guys. Before and after the world changes, the only one whose memory continues is me."

"And so, by your subjectivity, when did that IBN 5100 disappear? When you talked about it just a while ago? Until when do you remember it being here in the lab?"

"That's..."



IBN... IBN 5100...

"I'm sure... it was August 3. I clearly remember it being in the lab until August 3."

"Are you sure?"

"I... would like to think so."

So many different things have happened, my head's full of confusion. Umm, let's try organizing the conditions in which I obtained the IBN 5100.

I learned that Faris was well informed about the IBN 5100 as a Retro PC maniac.
Nine years ago, Faris dedicated her IBN 5100 to Yanagibayashi Shrine.
After asking Rukako and Ruka Papa, I splendidly discovered my goal...

At the very least, I remember that Faris and Rukako should be concerned parties. It would be weird if I didn't remember.

I should try calling...







"Um, the day before yesterday, you saw something embarrassing... p-please forget about it..."

"Something embarrassing?"

"Cosplay..."

Oh, that. That was just Rukako getting embarrassed for no reason.

"More importantly, I want to ask about the IBN 5100."



"IBN 5100. In Yanagibayashi Shrine, someone deposited a retro computer about nine years ago. Know about it?"

"...Y-Yes."

He remembers! Rukako really remembers!

"Just a while ago, I came to the shrine looking for it, right?! And then I asked your old man and he let me borrow it. Am I correct?!"

"Eh...? That can't..."

"...Am I wrong?"

"I don't think I remember anything like that..."

What...? Is this another effect of changing the past?

"It's a fact that the IBN 5100 was at the shrine, right? Is it there now?"



"Where are you now? Is your old man close by?"

"...He isn't."

"...I see. I understand. Sorry for calling you so suddenly."

"N-No problem. I'm sorry, that I couldn't be of use..."





Rukako knew that. I need to check if it's still there or not. Could it be possible that the IBN returned to the shrine? Did that huge retro PC sprout legs and trot back?

That's just silly. But, a gelbana did return via teleportation from the microwave to the room. Moeka also instantly moved from the lab to somewhere else. With that in mind, it's entirely possible that the IBN 5100 teleported in the same way. Maybe I should go check later.

Next is Faris. I haven't told Faris my phone number. She just knows my mail address. If I called Faris, I'd get rolled up into her usual rampage. With that said, there's only one route I can take.



"Hweh?"

Mayuri's eating an éclair. Looks like she put some in the refrigerator.

"Want one too, Okarin? They're delicious♪"

Now that I look, Kurisu and Daru are also eating.

"You're all just carefree little bastards, aren't you?! The lab's in the middle of a mystery, people!"

"Everything could just be Okabe's delusion. No need to panic."



"You need Faris for something? Is she at the store today?"

"Faris's taking a break today."

Well done, Daru. You know Faris's work schedule better than Mayuri, her coworker. He should be awarded the title of Faris Stalker.

"Mayuri, you know that girl's phone number, right? Lemme see if I can contact her."

"Yup! Okay."

Mayuri takes out her phone, and makes a call. After waiting a while, Mayuri's face quickly turns into a smile.

"Ah, Faris? Goodafternyunnyun♪ Mayushii nyan."

"Nya, Nyan?"

Kurisu frowns when Mayuri's tone changes.

"Sorry to bother you on your break! Well, Okarin said he wants to talk to you about something. Wanna talk to him?"
"Eh? Okarin is Okarin... Hmm? Kyoumah? Who's Kyoumah?"

Just what are they talking about?

By the way, Faris is the only person to call me by my true name - that is, Hououin Kyouma. I'm thankful to her for that, but I'm still not good with her.

"Well, just talk to him for now, okay?"
"Here, Okarin!"

I take Mayuri's phone.





"It's me. Hououin Kyouma."

"Nyao♪ It's rare for Kyouma to need meow for something."

"There's something I need to ask you. Long ago, you dedicated a retro PC to Yanagibayashi Shrine. Am I mistaken?"

"Nyan."

"What? What do you meown by nyan?"

Ah, crap, I started to talk like her. Kurisu bursts out laughing. Looks like she heard.

"I meown that you're not mistaken nya. Though, I only recently learned it was called the IBN 5100 nya."

"What? What do you mean recently...?"

"I had Daru-nyan tell meow."

So that's it... At any rate, it's a fact that the IBN 5100 was at Yanagibayashi Shrine, and Faris knew that, too. So did the IBN 5100 disappear from the lab after that...?

No, Kurisu and the others lost their memories of the fact that I brought it from the shrine to the lab. So, I'm considering two possibilities.

1. I went to the shrine, but didn't obtain an IBN 5100. It's still at the shrine.
2. Before I went to the shrine, someone moved the IBN 5100 somewhere else.

Looks like I'll have to go to the shrine to check after all.

"What's this about the retro PC nya?"

"Ah, nothing..."

Faris was a retro PC maniac, wasn't she. Let's just make sure...

"Do you have any other information on the IBN 5100? It's a super rare PC. As a charisma-build maid, you have a strong network in Akiba, right? I'd like to ask you to use that and search for any IBN 5100's in Akiba now."

We just need to find one. It doesn't matter if it's not the one I found at the shrine.

"Hmnya... I can look, but on certain conditions, nya."

"Conditions?"

Is she trying to strike a deal? She's unexpected stubborn.

"...Let's hear them."



(With this, the LP is up to 1000 screencaps )